Provinces play home and away

The Interprovincial Championship has decided to borrow from the Super 12 series and other major competitions by introducing a new system of scoring for this year's competition, which begins on August 14th.

The new format of home and away matches has created a 12match competition, with four points allocated for a win and two for a draw. In addition, one bonus point will be awarded for scoring four tries or more. There is also a bonus point for a team which is not defeated by more than seven points.

The scheme is designed not only to encourage winning teams to keep playing for the maximum five points, but also ensures losing teams do not throw in the towel when it is clear the match is beyond them. A defeated side can still walk away from a game with two points, one for scoring four tries and another for keeping within seven points of the winners.

"The Irish team management is anxious that there should be greater incentive for teams to score tries in Irish rugby," said Irish coach Warren Gatland. "We have therefore recommended the introduction of the Super 12 bonus scheme for the Interprovincial Championship. I believe the provincial coaches and players will be inspired by the prospect of being further rewarded for try scoring and that in turn should lead to an instinct in Irish rugby to look for try scoring opportunities." The Super 10 series, played in the Southern Hemisphere between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, became Super 12 in 1996 when the bonus scoring system was introduced. Since then, according the South African Rugby Union, the competition has not considered going back to the traditional way.

Fixtures

August 14th: Leinster v Ulster, Donnybrook; August 15th: Connacht v Munster Sportsground; August 21st: Munster v Leinster, (to be confirmed); August 22nd: Connacht v Ulster, Sportsground; August 28th: Leinster v Connacht, Donnybrook.

September 4th: Ulster v Munster, Ravenhill; September 11th: Ulster v Leinster, Ravenhill; Munster v Connacht, TBC.

October 2nd: Munster v Ulster, Musgrave Park; October 3rd: Connacht v Leinster, Galway; October 23rd: Ulster v Connacht, Ravenhill; Leinster v Munster, Donnybrook.